DAILY BIBLE DEVOTION

MARTHA OR MARY

The age old question of who's

right! There's a commercial for an

automobile company that uses the

slogan of either/or, or both/and"

that I kind of like. Not that I'm

supporting the company, but

because I believe we sometimes

think in an either/or way when it's

really important to be a both/and

kind of person. In today's gospel,

Martha is busy about hospitality

and Mary extends hospitality in a

quieter manner. We need both,

and we need to be both. There are

times when we need to be about

doing what Jesus tells us to do, but

if all we do is "do" and we don't

take the time to listen, we just

might get it wrong. Mary sits and

listens to Jesus while Martha feels

overwhelmed with her tasks.

When Martha complains, Jesus

tells her not to be anxious and

worried, and I think that here is

the key. When we take the time to

sit and listen to Jesus and then

move on to follow the will of God.

we don't have to be anxious and

worried; we can relax in the

knowledge that we are doing our

best, and that is what is required of

us. Jesus doesn't say that what

Martha is doing is unimportant; he

just seems to imply that she

shouldn't be so focused on her

work, that she neglects her need

for being present and listening.

We, too, can be so busy doing that

we forget to take the time to pray,

to reflect on Scripture, to sit and

listen to Jesus. During the

sometimes lazy days of summer,

let us take advantage of the

laziness and just sit in God's

presence ana reriect on wno we

are and who we are called to be, so

that when the time comes to be

busy again, we'll be ready.

PRAYER

Gracious God, you want us to be

hospitable and welcoming to all

but you also want us to know that

listening to you and learning from

you is also important. Let us never

be so busy that we forget to take

time to spend with you. Amen.